Police Commissioner Henry Greene yesterday reported a 9% increase in the crime rate, which he said along with gang violence and its link to the entry of illegal firearms through border locations are causes for concern for the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
Greene told the opening of the annual Police Officers’ Conference at Eve Leary yesterday that as of the end of last month, crime has risen, when compared with the same period last year. “So far for the year, as at February, we have not done that well. Crime is up by about nine percent when we look at the figure that is before us. Robberies, murders, burglary, break and enter and larceny are the areas that have caused us to tip the scale this year,” he explained.
He further said that after looking at the murder figures for the past few years, it has been observed that for last year there was a significant rise in the murder rate.
However, he said when the many categories were assessed, it was recognised that disorderly and domestic murders are dominating the landscape as opposed to felony type murders of the past.
He noted that at the end of last year, the figure was at minus 12, in terms of crimes from the previous year. He said the GPF wants to better that figure this year. “We always fight. If we going down we fight and come back up and that is why we have lasted so many years in this country. So we are going to re-examine out strategies,” he assured.
Greene said that illegal weapons are coming into the country through the borders and assisting in the crime wave. “We know where it is coming from but it is so difficult to plug it but we are still working assiduously,” he said.
He reported that last year 109 illegal firearms were found across the country; the previous year, 82 were found, in 2008 there were 128, in 2007, 117 and in 2006, 118.
Greene stated that the GPF will also be assessing what is happening in terms of gang violence and noted that the police force had successfully dismantled three gangs last year.
He noted that in 2008, following the death of the fugitive gang leader Rondell ‘Fineman’ Rawlins, there was the sudden rise of a gang, which he called the Thieren’s gang—a reference to Kurt Thierens. This gang, Greene said, burnt down the Ministry of Health in July 2009 and the force managed to capture a few members while some managed to escape from prison. He added that initially they were told that the members of the gang were out of the country but “then they came back and shot up our station.”
According to Greene, it was as a result of good intelligence that police managed to capture Colin Jones in November last year. Jones is said to be a member of the Thieren’s gang.
After the capture of Jones, Greene said, police recovered a number of AK-47s and Jones later led ranks to the graves of two colleagues he had killed out of greed. Jones is currently before the court on related charges.
Last year, police were faced with the challenge of the Tyrone ‘Cobra’ Rowe gang. According to Greene, most of the gang members were captured and are in prison. “We will ensure that we prosecute them to the end,” he stressed.
Another gang, the Aranka gang, which was wreaking havoc on mining camps, was also intercepted and those persons are before the courts. Greene told the gathering that these gangs had put fear into citizens of this country and though they have been dismantled, “we continue to have a little robbery here and there.”
Greene explained that while gang violence, illegal firearms and the crime rate would be extensively discussed at the conference, traffic issues will also be on the agenda.
He recalled that in 2007, the GPF started a rigorous traffic policing campaign. He said that radar guns were introduced and have contributed to a decrease in traffic death.
In 2008, there were 99 deaths, which was the lowest figure in 39 years.
Greene said that the use of the breathalyser was added to the campaign.
He said that the number of children dying on our roadways has been decreasing since 2007 and he attributed this to the education they are receiving, which makes them more sensitive and aware of what is happening on the roadways.
Speaking on the strengthening of the operations of the GPF, the commissioner said that a team of consultants have been working on the institution’s modernisation. He said that they are working closely with that team to ensure that “we will be able to go where we want to go.”
He said that the GPF is concentrating on acquiring a modern electronic system, which would help them to receive data regularly.
Over the last year, he added, 24 training courses led by a technology consultant have been completed. Greene gave assurances that more policemen would benefit from such training courses this year.
The GPF is also continuing its work with communities, concentrating mainly on youths and forming scout groups.
So far, Greene said it had 500 scouts and youth groups have been formed in Mahaica, Mahaicony and parts of Berbice.
He noted that the aim of these interactions is to get a youth to look at something productive and not turn to crime. Some of these youths are also being taught computer skills.
